NGC 1977 – A Running Man in Space

Popularly known as the Running Man Nebula and usually called NGC 1977, it actually comprises three NGC nebulae, NGC 1973, NGC 1975, and NGC 1977, forming a complex of blue reflection nebulae mixed with red emission nebulosity divided by dark lanes. Found just half a degree north of the bright stellar nursery better known as the Orion Nebula M42, these reflection nebulae are also associated with Orion’s giant molecular cloud, lying at a distance of about 1,500 light-years away, are dominated by a blue color of interstellar dust reflecting the light from hot young stars. The brightest nebulosity, later listed as NGC 1977, was discovered by William Herschel in 1786. Looking carefully to the center of the image (inside blue area), where dark regions laced with faint red emission from hydrogen atoms suggest to many, the shape of a running man.